Flying machine



Sept. 28 1926.

O. M; BERGMAN FLYING MACHINE I Filed Jan. 2. 1925 Patented Sept. 28, 1926.-

one in. nnnomamor menu, mrw roux.

FLYING, uacnmn.

, Application flled il'anuary a, 1928- sen-a1 110.131.

My invention relates to improvements in flying machines and has forits object to provide improved propelling means for' machines of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved propelling mechanism embodying a system of relatively small propellers designed to increase the thrusting power of the machine and at the same time permitting it to be driven by a relatively small or low speed motor.

Another object of the invention is to pro-,

vide a system of relatively small propellers mounted to travel upon a circular track about the axis of the main drive shaft of the engine and to be advanced upon the track by suitable means operated by the shaft and at the same time being made to rotate about their own axes for the purpose of propelling the machine in the direction desired.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will hereinafter be more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in theclaims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevational view illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

and.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The principles of the' present invention.. may be employed in connection with different types of flyingmachines, but are particularly adapted for use with heavier than air be a number of times greater than the speed machines.

In the present embodiment of theinvention I have shown an engine or motor 10 having a drive shaft 11 carrying a cross arm 12 WhlCh may be in the form of a propeller as shown, or constructed in any desired manner to best afford a, suitable driving meansfor a series of relatively v small propellers 13 mounted and operated in a manner hereinafter pointed out. i

- he propellers 13, are each provided with an arbor or spindle 14 with which is rigidly connected a pair of rollers-preferably in the form of grooved pulleys '15 and 16, adapted to travel about the axis of the drive shaft 11 upon stationary wheel shaped frames having circular tracks 17 and 18 which are preferably beveled to correspond to the bevel of the pulleys as shown in Figure 1. The

tracks or propeller guides are preferably supported by a series of spokes 19 radiating from the front and rear hubs 20 and 21 through which the drive shaft 11 is extend-v ed, said hubs being suitably secured to the engine'as .by means of a frame member 22 shown in Figure 2. The spokes are well adapted to support the tracks or guides for the propellers and afford but little resistance to the air during advancement of the machine.

The spindles 14, between the pulleys 15 and 16, are each provided with a loosely mounted sleeve or hearing 23 as shown in Figure 2. A pair of cables 24 and 25 are each extended around and between the circular tracks 17 and 18 and are connected with the sleeves 23, preferably by means of suitable clamping members as indicated at 26. The ends of the cables 24 and 25 are suitably connected with the cross arm 12, as by means of the brackets 27, which are bolted or otherwise secured to said cross arm. The' cross arm forms a driving member for advancing the bearings 23 and they in turn cause the pulleys to roll upon their respective tracks, thus causing the propellers 13 to roll also since the latter are rigidly connected with the pulleys. Thus, the propellers are frictionally driven and have a rotational Of the driving member 12 or that of the drive shaft 11, depending upon the diameter of the tracks and the diameter of the pulleys travelling thereon. By reducing the diameter of the tracks and increasing the diameter of the pulleys the speed of the propellers may be reduced Without reducing the speed of the driving member 12. These proportions can of course be varied to effect an increase or decrease of the speed of the propellers for a given speed of the engine in order to obtain the results desired. With the mechanism shown the motor may be driven at a relatively low speed though operating at the same time to drive the propellers at a relatively high speed in order to afford the necessary propelling power for the machine. Thus, the life of the motor may be increased by reducing its speed and it can therefore be made lighter as well as safer and more economical to operate.

While the drawings illustrate the principles of the invention they are more or less diagrammatic in form and it will be understood that the several structures may be varied as desired within the scope of the claims to increase the efiiciency and practicability of the propelling mechanism Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a flying machine, the combination with an engine and a frame including a pair of tracks, a propeller located at one side of the tracks and adapted to be driven by the engine, a series of relatively small propellers mounted laterally of the first mentioned propeller and each having a spindle and a pair of wheels adapted to roll upon said tracks, bearings between said wheels in which said spindles are free to rotate, and means 0peratively connecting the first mentioned pro peller with the bearings. v

2. In a flying machine, a frame having a circular track thereon, a series of rollers mounted to travel upon said track and held against lateral displacement thereby, pro-.

pellers connected with said rollers to revolve therewith, and means for advancing the rollers upon the track.

3. In a flying machine, a frame having a circular track thereon, a series of rollers mounted to travel upon the track and held against lateral displacement thereby, propellers connected with said rollers to revolve therewith, means connecting the rollers one with another, and means for driving said roller connecting means.

4. In a flying machine, a frame having a circular track thereon, a series of rollers mounted to travel upon the outer periphery of the track, ropellers connected with said rollers to revo lve therewith, a cable connectin the rollers, and means for actuating the ca 1e to cause the rdllers to travel upon the track.

5. In a flying machine, a frame having spaced circular tracks thereon, a series of spaced propellers each provided with a spindle having grooved pulleys adapted to roll upon the track, bearings in which they Spindle are adapted to rotate, and means for moving the bearings circumferentially of the track.

6. In' a flying machine, a frame having spaced tracks thereon, a series of propellers each having flanged rollers connected therewith and adapted to travel upon and to be held against lateral displacement by the tracks and \means for advancing the rollers upon the tracks.

7. In a flying machine, a frame having spaced tracks thereon, a series of propellers each having a spindle provided with rollers adapted to travel upon said tracks, bearings for each of the spindles, means connecting the bearings one ,with another, and means located in advance of the tracks for actuating said last mentioned means to cause the rollers to travel upon said tracks. v

8. In a flying machine, a frame having a circular track thereon, a series of s aced propellers mounted to travel circum erentially upon the outer periphery of said track and each being adapted at the 'same time to rotate about its own axis, and to be held against lateral displacement by the track, and means for advancing the propellers upon the track. I

9. In a flying machine, the combination with an engine and a frame including circular tracks, of a propeller adapted to be rotated by the' engine in advance of the tracks, a second propeller supported by said tracks for circumferential movement thereon, arms extending laterally from the first mentioned propeller and connecting means between the arms and the second mentioned propeller adapted to advance the latter.

10. In a flying machine, the combination with an engine and a frame having a circular track thereon,of a series of propellers mounted to travel upon said track and adapted to travel upon and to be held against lateral displacement thereb adapted to' rotate about its own axis while moving thereon, a main propeller driven by the engine in advance of said track and means extending rearwardly from said main propeller and adapted to advance the first mentioned propellers. v

11. In a flying machine, the combination with an engine including a shaft driven thereby and having a cross arm thereon, a circular track mounted adjacent the engine, of a series of propellers mounted to roll upon the track and adapted to be supported independently of the cross arm, means carried by the cross arm adapted to revolve about the track and means operatively con meetin the last mentioned means with said propellers to advance them'upon the track.

12. In a flying machine, the combination with an engine including a shaft driven thereby and a circular track mounted adjacent the engine, of a series of propellers mounted to roll upon the track and adapted to be supported thereby, a propeller fixed upon said shaft in advance of the track and means including a flexible operating connection disposed between the main propeller and said series of propellers to advance the latter upon said track.

13. In a flying machine, the combination with an engine and a circular track mounted adjacent 'thereto, of a series of propellers provided with flanged rollers adapted to be rotated through fr1ctional engagement with F and each being i the outer peripheral face of the track to efgine, a series of relativel small propellers feet rotation of the propellers and means located rearwardly of said track and each 1 driven by the engine adapted-to advance the having a forwardly projecting support inrollers upon the track. cluding a wheel adapted to roll upon the 5 14. In a flying machine, the combination track, means connecting said supports and with an engine and a frame including a means operatively connecting the first mentrack, a propeller disposed in advance of the tioned propeller with said connectin means. track and adapted to be driven by the en- OTTO M. BERG N. 

